European Union Chamber of Commerce in China

Construction Working Group

Construction WG Meeting: Decarbonising the Built Environment, PP discussion and Chair Elections

Date: Wednesday 2^nd March, 14.00-16.00

Venue: European Chamber Beijing and Shanghai Office or Online (via Zoom)

Dear Members,

The European Chamber’s Construction Working Group is delighted to invite you to its next working group meeting “Decarbonising the Built Environment, PP discussion and Chair Elections” which is to take place on Wednesday 2^nd March, 14.00-16.00.

Today, 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 68% by 2050 according to the United Nations. By some estimates, two-thirds of the buildings standing today will still be here in 2050, and the global building stock will double by 2060.

At the same time, the buildings and construction sector are responsible for almost 40% of global carbon emissions. The sector demand on natural resources also contributes to shortage in some areas as well as to environmental degradation. A priority area for investment should therefore be the renovation, retrofit and refurbishment of existing buildings to upgrade their energy performance, reduce their emissions and impacts on the environment and the design of new buildings with net-zero carbon emissions in mind. Reform and decarbonisation of the construction sector are key to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement and for China to reach its dual objectives of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060.

At this meeting, a panel of experts will discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by the decarbonisation of existing building stocks, the construction of green buildings and a transition toward environmentally beneficial practices and materials, share experiences and best practices and present tools to identify environmental ‘hot-spots’ in the supply chains and to optimise its efficiency.

In this meeting, we will also discuss the Construction Working Group Position Paper 2022/23 and hold 2022-2023 WG Chair Elections.The Chair and Vice Chairs play a crucial role in driving the Working Group, which includes a leadership role in the drafting of the WG Position Paper, communicating key messages to Chinese and European government authorities and steering Working Group meetings.

We encourage as many of our members as possible to attend to have their say in the leadership and representation of the Working Group in the year ahead. To attend the meeting please register online for Beijing or Shanghai, or email Ms Ludivine Destree at ldestree@europeanchamber.com.cn (Beijing) and Ms Song Nan at snan@europeanchamber.com.cn (Shanghai) before Friday 25^th February COB Beijing Time. For the members wishing to attend remotely, please note that you will receive a confirmation email containing the link to join the meeting via Zoom after registration closes on the 25^th of February.

Should you be interested in putting your name forward for election, please send your CV and Motivation Letter, stating whether you intend to run for Chair or Vice Chair to Ms. Ludivine Destree at ldestree@europeanchamber.com.cn by latest Wednesday 23^rd February. In your Motivation Letter please state why your wish to be elected Chair or Vice Chair and provide a set of goals you have for the WG over the next 12 months as well as your intended contribution to the Position Paper. To familiarise yourself with the Code of Conduct and responsibilities as chairs, please refer to the attached Starter Kit.

Tentative Agenda:

14.00    Welcome and Opening Remarks by Jinyan Zhao, Chair, Construction WG

14.05    Introduction and Short Presentation by Experts

·      Henrik Martens, Counsellor at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark, Head of Denmark’s Energy Team in China

·      Pierre Grenier, Director of the sustainable design department at AREP China

·      Yizhu (Brandy) Shen, CEO XOEYTECH

·      Joerg Lonkwitz, Design Leader, WOODS BAGOT

14.45    Experts Dialogue Moderated by Karen XU, Head of Investor Relations, White Peak

15.15    Q&A

15.20    Position Paper Overview and Discussion

15.35    WG Chair and Vice Chair Elections

15.55    Closing remarks

16.00    End of meeting

Speakers

Ms. Yizhu (Brandy) Shen

CEO XOEYTECH

Ms. Yizhu (Brandy) Shen

CEO XOEYTECH

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Yizhu (Brandy) Shen is a driven and passionate professional with project experience in large-scale mixed-development, high-rise commercial, healthcare, data center and commercial interior fit-out. She possesses a broad knowledge of energy efficient building design, energy modeling and simulation, and corporate climate change and carbon strategy consulting. Brandy has lived and worked in Hong Kong and New York City, Beijing, and Shanghai. Before she founded XOEYTECH, Brandy had worked for several years with a FG500 large technology corporation for its global sustainability strategy development, an over 10-billion USD valued workplace unicorn at its NYC headquarter and a government-owned investment bank at its Hong Kong office. She lies in integrating holistic design philosophies to progress low carbon developments through changes in process as well as building technology. Brandy is both LEED AP and WELL AP, and national certified carbon auditor and carbon asset manager.

Mr. Pierre Grenier

Director of the sustainable design department at AREP China

Mr. Pierre Grenier

Director of the sustainable design department at AREP China

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Pierre Grenier is the director of the sustainable design department at AREP China. He has been working in China since 2008 and specifically in Arep for almost 10 years. His work covers a wide range of ecological integrated design projects and their development. Through these years he was in charge of some iconic projects of the company. He has been previously working on comfort and performance architecture while in Canada, where he graduated with a master degree in 2003. He has always combined a scientific approach with design sensibility in order to bring plans to reality. He got his national architecture license in France in 2001.

Founded in 1997, AREP is a multidisciplinary architecture firm. A subsidiary of SNCF Gares & Connexions, its mission is to invent a post-carbon future. AREP operates and innovates in all the fields that are essential to the renewal of architecture and places, covering everything from architectural, urban and landscape design to engineering, including design, programming consulting services and project management. In China since 1999, it has designed emblematic public buildings, 26 train stations, and is recognized as an expert in TOD.

Mr. Henrik Martens

Counsellor at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark, Head of Denmark’s Energy Team in China

Mr. Henrik Martens

Counsellor at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark, Head of Denmark’s Energy Team in China

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Henrik Martens is Counsellor at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark and Head of Denmark’s Energy Team in China. He holds a master degree in Economics from the Copenhagen University and has been working with Energy and Green Transition for more than 20 years. Henrik Martens has among many other positions been responsible for business development in HOFOR, Copenhagen’s Multi Utility company and a key player in making Copenhagen Carbon Neutral by 2025. He has also been responsible for business development in a part of DONG Energy/Ørsted, who is known internationally for transforming from black to green and becoming one of the world’s largest off shore wind developers. Henrik Martens has been working with China for many years and has also been posted at the Danish Embassy from 2007-11.“

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